Bill > A02265

This bill establishes a legal framework for "child care learning pods," which are unlicensed and unregulated child care providers serving three to six children between zero and seventeen years old who are not related to the pod's operator. The bill requires such pods to comply with state and local laws and mandates an annual waiver process through the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). The waiver must include detailed information about the pod's operator, location, operating hours, residents, children, and caregivers, along with multiple affirmations regarding safety and operational standards such as functional bathrooms, water service, heating, and absence of criminal residents. Operators must acknowledge that these pods are not directly regulated by OCFS and that licensed child care providers exist. The bill imposes civil penalties for non-compliance, starting with a $1,000 fine and escalating by $1,000-$2,000 for each subsequent two-week period of non-submission, giving pod operators two weeks to submit the required waiver after an initial violation. The OCFS is tasked with creating and publishing a uniform waiver within six months of the bill's effective date, making it available to potential pod operators.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2265